Phased array antenna panels with large numbers of antennas integrated on a single board are being developed in view of higher wireless communication frequencies being used in the evolving 5G wireless communications (5th generation mobile networks or 5th generation wireless systems). Phased array antenna panels are capable of beamforming by phase shifting and amplitude control techniques, and without physically changing direction or orientation of the phased array antenna panels, and without a need for mechanical parts to effect such changes in direction or orientation.
However, impaired antenna impedance matching during scanning or beamforming results in increased return loss, defined as ratio of power returned from an antenna to power delivered to the antenna. Additionally, it is desirable for a phased array antenna panel to have a large bandwidth. However, forming antennas on printed circuit boards (PCBs) introduces mutual coupling, and reduces bandwidth. Presently known techniques to increase bandwidth rely on increased substrate thickness to provide a greater height (or separation) between an overlying plate and an underlying ground plane. Thicker substrates are more expensive and also behave as wave guiding structures, adversely affecting radiation of radio frequency (RF) waves from the antennas, resulting in decreased radiation and therefore lower efficiency.
Thus, there is a need in the art to use phased array antenna panels to achieve wireless communication systems that overcome the deficiencies in the art.